Here is a blank academic intervention plan:  academic intervention plan template

See the post about academic interventions for more information.

What is a Lesson Study?
Lesson Study is a staff-development activity in which teachers plan a lesson together, observe a colleague teach the lesson, and then debrief. 

Here is a more detailed description of the process from Chicago Lesson Study Group:
One of the key components in these collaborative efforts is “the research lesson,” in which, typically, a group of instructors prepares a single lesson, which is then observed in the classroom by the lesson study group and other practitioners, and afterwards analyzed during the group’s debriefing session. Through the research lesson, teachers become more observant and attentive to the process by which lessons unfold in their class, and they gather data from the actual teaching based on the lesson plan that the lesson study group has prepared. The research lesson is followed by the debriefing session, in which teachers review the data together in order to: 1) make sense of educational ideas within their practice; 2) challenge their individual and shared perspectives about teaching and learning; 3) learn to see their practice from the student’s perspective; and 4) enjoy collaborative support among colleagues (Takahashi & Yoshida, 2004).

How to Plan a Lesson Study
The process seems pretty simple, but don’t underestimate the emotional complexities of asking teachers to plan together (and observe one another). As a staff developer, I planned a series of four lesson studies a year. The first one was a disaster. I thought three or four teachers could plan one reading lesson in a single staff meeting. I didn’t realize that the social interactions really slow things down. The topics from which to plan the lesson were too broad and they spent the entire staff meeting discussing that alone.  It took three or four meetings just to plan the lesson. The demonstrating teachers were sometimes very nervous “performing” in front of their peers. As we got used to the process, things improved. The subsequent lesson studies went much more smoothly and teachers often commented that it was their favorite piece of staff development.

In this case, the end result (the lesson demonstration) is not the most important piece. The real valuable work is in the discussions - opening up lines of communication where they didn’t exist before.  Teachers discussing instruction - that’s the goal.

Step 1: Prepare
Create the groups: the only consideration is that all of the members of a group have to eventually teach the same lesson.
Set the framework: use your staff development topics to narrow the lesson possibilities (examples: small group work or a particular reading strategy)
Stress Specificity: When one of the members eventually demonstrates the lesson, the others should be observing the lesson, not the teacher. The only way to ensure that is to minimize spontaneous teaching decisions - the lesson itself has to specify every detail.

Step 2: Plan the Lesson
Give them time: If it’s your first lesson study, allow two or three meetings to plan the lesson.
Use a template: Give copies of a lesson plan template to each member.
Moderate: Be around to ensure the necessary level of specificity. Ask questions like, “On which page will you stop to check for comprehension?” or “How long will you allow the students to discuss?”.

Step 3: Lesson Demonstration
The demonstrator: One teacher will volunteer to demonstrate the lesson. Check in with this teacher often to make sure they feel confident and have the supplies they need.
Hire Subs: You’ll need substitutes for all the teachers involved in the lesson study. You can accomplish the lesson study in a half-day, so you could do two groups in one day (and use each sub for two teachers).
Take Notes: Model for the observing teacher how to take notes about the lesson - not the teacher - and the resulting student behaviors.

Step 4: Discuss
Thank the teacher, but discuss the lesson: When the lesson is over, gather in another place to discuss. The peers will naturally steer the discussion toward complimenting the teacher, “I really liked how you introduced the book”, etc.   The staff developer has to guide the discussion away from the “performance” and toward the lesson itself. Using a discussion protocol helps.
Adjust the Lesson: The observing teachers will now plan to teach the lesson in their own classes. Decide as a group if any changes should be made.
Debrief: Talk about the lesson study process (what went well, what to change).

See other posts for staff developers and administrators

Here is a template for guiding a group of teachers through planning a lesson together (lesson study).

Lesson Study Lesson Plan Template

What is a Data Day?
Many schools are striving to make the connection between student data and teaching practices. It’s not enough to present test scores to teachers. You have to show them what to do with data and you have to give them time to do it. Data days are full staff-development days dedicated to organizing and analyzing student data in order to plan further instruction. You should schedule data days several times a year (maybe at the end of each quarter).

What should be accomplished?
The depth to which you can analyze student data really depends on the experience of the staff. At the most basic level, each teacher should strive to compile data for each student (maybe in an assessment notebook) and plan next steps for instruction based on the data analysis.  For example, at the end of the first quarter, teachers have received the state test results and have completed their first round of reading assessments. They bring all of this information to the Data Day.  Their work that day includes compiling all relevant data onto a Reading Data Sheet for each student and analyzing the class as a whole to determine appropriate whole-group, small-group and individual goals. 

Sample Agenda
Data Day #1
Breakfast and Reflection 7:30-8:00 
-          Now that I have assessed my students, what do I see?
-          What are the implications for teaching?
-          To what extent do I have control over the behavior and learning of my students?

READING – 8:00-10:30

1. Reading Overview
   -          understanding the five components of reading instruction
   -          reading strategies
2. Reading Data Analysis
   -          Complete a reading data sheet for each student, including information from DRA and state tests
3. Progress Monitoring
   -          system for monitoring progress
   -          dates for formal assessment and progress monitoring
4. Instructional Planning
   -          whole-group work
   -          small group work
   -          individual work

 WRITING – 10:30-1:00

    5.  Writing Overview
          - review writing cycles

6. Writing Data Analysis
   - writing data sheet for each student, using information from writing samples and national rubrics
7. Monitoring Writing Progress
   -   dates for looking at/scoring published work.
8.  Instructional Planning
   -          whole-group work
   -          small group work
   -          individual work
   
9. INTERVENTION PLANS – 1:00-3:00
   - Choose 3-5 students for whom you will create an intervention plan

An academic intervention plan is meant to provide a roadmap for teachers and parents of struggling students. It’s a concept that Special Educators use all the time, but can also be employed by regular educators. 

When you compile all of your relevant data, you’ll usually find that several of your students are struggling. This is the time to create an intervention plan. Before you begin, you really have to think through the process.

1. What evidence demonstrates that the student is falling behind?
2. What actions will be taken by the teacher, the parent and the student to intervene? See a list of possible interventions.
3. How will you monitor progress?
4. How will you determine when and if your goals are reached?
5. How will you communicate with the student and the parents?

Here is an academic intervention plan template.

Reading Data Template: use this sheet while compiling and analyzing reading data (perhaps at the end of each quarter).
Here is what the form might look like with teacher notes (in italics):

Reading Data Sheet

Assessment of 5 Components

Here is a template for a writing data sheet. Use this sheet while compiling and analyzing all writing data (perhaps at the end of each quarter).

Writing Data Template

Here is a tool to help assess progress in teaching Readers’ Workshop:

Rubrics allow you to describe the behavior/evidence that results in a particular score.  Start with only 2 or 3 categories and 3 possible scores. 

Step 1: Plan the outline 
Think through your rubric carefully before you create it with your students. I’ll use a behavior rubric as an example, but they are very useful for ”grading” work also. I’ll make a rubric for partner discussions during reading. What do I want to see/hear? I want to see respectful social behaviors. I want them to take turns talking and be active listeners. I also want to hear thoughtful discussions. I want them to refer to the text for evidence. I want them to prompt each-other to think deeply. OK, now I can organize these ideas into categories.

Step 2: Describe the Behavior
You need to have a pretty good idea about what should go in those boxes before you present this to the students. Try to pinpoint behaviors and evidence in an objective way. If your rubric is very specific, anyone should be able to “grade” the students and reach the same conclusion (including the students themselves). Either you met the criteria or you didn’t. Try to avoid using descriptors like “good” or “bad”. Instead, quantify tangibles (had less than 3 spelling errors).
Your notes might look like this:

Step 3: Create the Rubric with Your Students
Creating a rubric is very cognitively demanding. If your students are new at this, you can help them by showing them examples and “non-examples”. Recruit another teacher or administrator to help you. In our partner discussion example, you would get another teacher to act out a discussion with you in front of the class. First you would have a terrible discussion (the non-example). You would interrupt, not listen, etc. Then, ask the students how you did. Why was it a bad discussion? Then, have a great discussion and have the kids explain why it was better. This will really help them pinpoint specific behaviors (and they think it’s hilarious). Create the rubric on a big piece of chart paper and make sure they can read it from wherever they’ll be sitting.

Step 4: Use the Rubric Everyday
After the students have a partner discussion, ask them to rate themselves. I like using 1,2,3 because they can just hold up their fingers to show you their self-assessment. You’ll say, “How do you think you did today with partner discussions?” and they will show you a score. Choose one group to explain their self-assessment (”We got a 2 because I interrupted one time and we used evidence twice”).  This process takes about 30 seconds.

You’ve already spent time working on the three big pieces of classroom management (individual accountability, group incentives and building community). Chances are, some parts of the day are still going better than others. Try to pinpoint the problems… lining up? getting books for independent reading? walking in the hall? bathroom requests? putting away math supplies?

Step 1: Visualize What you Want
This is often difficult for new teachers. They are not sure what to expect. You know that your students are talking too much when they are supposed to be reading, but can you really expect them to be totally quiet the whole time? You can. You have to know what you want before you can ask your students to change. Here is an example: The students come back from lunch totally wild. They can’t calm down and your first subject after lunch is a real challenge.  Visualize how it should look. The students should come in quietly, in line, and sit down to begin working. Think it through carefully and then move on to step 2. If you’re really not sure what to expect, go observe some of your peers.

Step 2: Create a System
Create a routine for beginning work as soon as they sit down. Maybe they start the math warm-up or take out their writing journals. Everyday it’s the same routine.  Also, stop your students before they enter the classroom. Challenge them to come in and start working in a certain number of seconds. Use your group incentives to reward them.
Here are a couple more examples.
- The kids are losing math supplies. Label them, put them into baggies and ask a student to pass them out and check them back in each day. You won’t waste any time and you can be sure nothing is lost.
- Students have their independent reading books in “book boxes” and you store those all on a bookshelf. But, when it is time for them to get books, there is a bottleneck. Students are waiting to get their books when they should be reading. So, create a book box storage area for each table in different parts of the classroom (table 1 on the bookshelf, table 2 in a basket under the table, etc.). No more bottleneck.

Step 3: Communicate to Students
Call a class meeting to let your students know you’ll be making some changes. Be honest with them. Tell them you’re not happy with the way things are going. Ask them for ideas; tell them about your idea. Make a chart that outlines the new system. Practice. Practice again.  Depending on the situation, you may want to make a rubric.

Step 4: Monitor Progress
Give the class feedback on their progress with the new system: “OK, that was pretty good today. I noticed it only took 20 seconds for everyone to get their books.” If you’ve made a rubric, ask students to rate themselves: “We did great on the timing, but some of us were still talking instead of working. Let’s try to get it perfect tomorrow.”